Occupy protesters converge on the nation's capital

As Congress returns from its winter recess, protesters aligned with the Occupy Wall Street movement demonstrate on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 17, 2012, to decry the influence of corporate money in politics.

Alex Wong / Getty Images

A demonstrator wears a Guy Fawkes mask during an "Occupy Congress" rally at the West Front Lawn of the Capitol on Tuesday. in Washington, DC.

For the most part Occupy protesters have shunned the political system, viewing it as beyond salvation. The congressional protest – which falls on the movement's four-month mark and the beginning of a new session of Congress – appears to represent a strategic shift aimed at winning support of the many Americans disillusioned with the legislative branch.